Written Communication Apr 1999

Genre and Activity Systems

DOROTHY A. WINSOR

Abstract

Rhetoric continues to struggle to theorize the simultaneous existence of pattern and contingency. Responses to this issue have been couched in elaborations of genre theory and, more recently, of Vygotskian activity theory. Activity theory offers two advantages in theorizing how change and continuity can coexist: It expands our ability to see how text and context influence one another and it encourages us to see that lack of unity is normal in any activity system. This study exemplifies these advantages by looking at four entry-level engineers who produced a genre they called documentation in their first 4 years at work. They defined documentation as writing that describes events to establish a common understanding of completed or promised actions. Documentation was one of the tools the participants used to create and maintain the activity system of their workplace and to reshape it as well.

Journal
Written Communication
Published
1999-04-01
DOI
10.1177/0741088399016002003
Open Access
Closed
Topics
genre theory multilingual writers

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (30)

  1. Wickman (2023)
    Genre and Metagenre in Biomedical Research Writing
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  2. Weedon et al. (2021)
    Embodied Genres, Typified Performances, and the Engineering Design Process
    Written Communication
  3. Read (2020)
    How to Build a Supercomputer: U.S. Research Infrastructure and the Documents Th…
    Written Communication
  4. Read (2019)
    The Infrastructural Function: A Relational Theory of Infrastructure for Writing…
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  5. Bivens et al. (2018)
    Coordinating Distributed Memory
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Show all 30 →
  1. Jones (2016)
    Found Things: Genre, Narrative, and Identification in a Networked Activist Orga…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Read (2016)
    The <i>Net Work</i> Genre Function
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  3. Wickman (2015)
    Locating the Semiotic Power of Writing in Science
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  4. Tachino (2012)
    Theorizing Uptake and Knowledge Mobilization
    Written Communication
  5. Converse (2012)
    Unpoetic Justice
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  6. Dannels (2009)
    Features of Success in Engineering Design Presentations
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  7. Pickering (2009)
    Student Ethos in the Online Technical Communication Classroom: Diverse Voices
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  8. Markel (2009)
    Time and Exigence in Temporal Genres
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  9. Dannels et al. (2008)
    Critiquing Critiques
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  10. Popham et al. (2008)
    A Structural Analysis of Coherence in Electronic Charts in Juvenile Mental Health
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  11. Ding (2008)
    The Use of Cognitive and Social Apprenticeship to Teach a Disciplinary Genre
    Written Communication
  12. Warnock et al. (2007)
    Expressive/Exploratory Technical Writing (XTW) in Engineering: Shifting the Tec…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  13. Bremner (2006)
    Politeness, Power, and Activity Systems
    Written Communication
  14. Winsor (2006)
    Using Writing to Structure Agency: An Examination of Engineers' Practice
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  15. Dayton (2006)
    A Hybrid Analytical Framework to Guide Studies of Innovative IT Adoption by Wor…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  16. Anderson (2004)
    The Textualizing Functions of Writing for Organizational Change
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  17. Barton (2004)
    Discourse Methods and Critical Practice in Professional Communication
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  18. Dannels (2003)
    Teaching and Learning Design Presentations in Engineering
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  19. Tardy (2003)
    A Genre System View of the Funding of Academic Research
    Written Communication
  20. Spinuzzi (2002)
    Toward Integrating Our Research Scope
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  21. GEISLER (2001)
    Textual Objects
    Written Communication
  22. BERKENKOTTER (2001)
    Genre Systems at Work
    Written Communication
  23. Geisler et al. (2001)
    IText
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  24. HERNDL et al. (2000)
    Research as Social Practice
    Written Communication
  25. Dannels (2000)
    Learning to Be Professional
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication

Cites in this index (6)

  1. RUSSELL (1997)
    Rethinking Genre in School and Society
    Written Communication
  2. SULLIVAN (1997)
    Dysfunctional Workers, Functional Texts
    Written Communication
  3. GUNNARSSON (1997)
    The Writing Process from a Sociolinguistic Viewpoint
    Written Communication
  4. PRIOR (1994)
    Response, Revision, Disciplinarity
    Written Communication
  5. WINSOR (1994)
    Invention and Writing in Technical Work
    Written Communication
Show all 6 →
  1. SCHRYER (1993)
    Records as Genre
    Written Communication
Also cites 7 works outside this index ↓
  1. 10.1207/s15327884mca0404_6
     ↗
  2. 10.1177/016224399702200401
     ↗
  3. Berkenkotter, C.
    Genre knowledge in disciplinary communication: Cognition/culture/power
     ↗
  4. 10.1177/030631298028003003
     ↗
  5. 10.1080/00335638409383686
     ↗
  6. 10.1111/j.1475-682X.1974.tb01159.x
     ↗
  7. Swales, J.
    Genre analysis: English in academic and research settings
     ↗
CrossRef global citation count: 68 View in citation network →

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